Filling nozzle and installation for filling drums with liquid yellow phosphorus

ABSTRACT

Liquid yellow phosphorus is filled into drums by means of a filling nozzle or filling lance. As its essential parts the filling nozzle comprises a control tube provided with a plurality of perforations and connected at its top end to a cylindrical member which carries an eye for the connection of a control unit via a connecting piece of piping. A nozzle supporting tube which concentrically surrounds the control pipe is provided at its upper portion with a warm water inlet, and carries in its bottom portion a control cylinder with a control piston with a hole running through it. The control cylinder is secured via a conical bottom to a nozzle pipe and the nozzle pipe has at its top end a gland with a supporting flange. The nozzle pipe concentrically surrounds the nozzle supporting tube so as to form an annular chamber receiving yellow phosphorus. A heating jacket is arranged around the nozzle pipe so as to form a heating chamber. The heating jacket is fitted it in its upper portion firstly with a double pipe running therethrough and delivering warm water to the heating chamber, and delivering yellow phosphorus to the annular chamber, and secondly with a water outlet. A supporting flange is fixed to the heating jacket and a spring-loaded water outlet valve is arranged at the bottom end of the control piston. The installation filling drums with liquid yellow phosphorus with the use of the filling nozzle or lance comprises as its essential parts a rotating frame which is movable in a semicircle, and has a first trolley secured thereto. The trolley is horizontally movable by means of a lifting cylinder. Secured to the first trolley is a second trolley vertically movable by means of lifting cylinders and having the filling nozzle mounted thereon. A third lifting cylinder is connected to the control cylinder of the filling nozzle, and a switch and control desk is arranged on the outside of the rotating frame.

United States Patent [191 Berg et al.

[ 1 Aug... 27, I974 22 Filed: Aug-15,1972

21 Appl. No.: 280,807

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 18, 1971 Germany 2141315 [52] US. Cl 141/82, 141/97, 141/284 [51] Int. Cl B65!) 1/04, B651) 3/04 [58] Field of Search 141/82, 129, 231, 232,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,190,494 6/1965 Derror 141/232 3,212,128 10/1965 Carlson et a1 141/231 3,537,489 11/1970 Hall 141/232 Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or FirmConnolly and l-lutz 7] ABSTRACT Liquid yellow phosphorus is filled into drums by means of a filling noule or filling lance. As its essential parts the filling nozzle comprises a control tube provided with a plurality of perforations and connected at its top end to a cylindrical member which carries an eye for the connection of a control unit via a connecting piece of piping. A nozzle supporting tube which concentrically surrounds the control pipe is provided at its upper portion with a warm water inlet, and carries in its bottom portion a control cylinder with a control piston with a hole running through it. The control cylinder is secured via a conical bottom to a nozzle pipe and the nozzle pipe has at its top end a gland with a supporting flange. The nozzle pipe concentrically surrounds the nozzle supporting tube so as to form an annular chamber receiving yellow phosphorus. A heating jacket is arranged around the nozzle pipe so as to form a heating chamber. The heating jacket is fitted it in its upper portion firstly with a double pipe running therethrough and delivering Warm water to the heating chamber, and delivering yellow phosphorus to the annular chamber, and secondly with a water outlet. A supporting flange is fixed to the heating jacket and a spring-loaded water outlet valve is arranged at the bottom end of the control piston.

The installation filling drums with liquid yellow phosphorus with the use of the filling nozzle or lance comprises as its essential parts a rotating frame which control desk is arranged on the outside of the rotating frame.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENI we 2 7 m4 SHEET 0f 4 FIG.5

FILLING NOZZLE AND INSTALLATION FOR FILLING DRUMS WITH LIQUID YELLOW PHOSFll-IORIUS The present invention relates to a filling nozzle or filling lance for liquid yellow phosphorous and to a plant for filling drums with liquid yellowphosphorus using this filling nozzle.

Liquid yellow phosphorus is commonly filled into drums from an overhead container by means of syphons and a flexible pipe, which commonly is made of lead or rubber, if desired. Before the containers are filled warm water is placed in them by hand. Following siphoning the liquid yellow phosphorus with warm water, the filling operation can be started; however, every time he changes the drum the operator must briefly interrupt the stream of phosphorus by holding the flexible pipe together with his fingers. Even though when filling liquid yellow phosphorus one always wears rubber gloves, there is always the risk of skin burns, especially if the rubber glove is defective when holding the flexible pipe together. Furthermore, with this mode of operation it is always necessary to have a second opera tor standing on the overhead tank in orderto pull the flexible pipe out of the overhead or elevated tank in the event of its being necessary to interrupt the filling operation. An immediate rinsing of the flexible pipe with warm water is essential in this case. Failing this, the residual phosphorus will solidify in the pipe and the latter will then be clogged. It is an object of the present invention to provide a filling nozzle for liquid yellow phosphorus which dose not require the direct contact of persons with liquid yellow phosphorus and enables liquid yellow phosphorus to be filled into drums substantially automatically. t

The filling nozzle of this invention will first be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which FIG. I shows the filling nozzle in longitudinal section.

The filling nozzle substantially comprises a nozzle pipe I, a heating jacket 2, a double tube (3, 4), a nozzle carrier tube 8 and a control tube 23. The double tube (3, 4) passes through the heating jacket 2 on the one side of its top end; on the opposite side there is arranged a warm water outlet 5. On the heating jacket 2 there is fixed a supporting flange 28. On the nozzle tube 1 there are welded diametrally opposite one another two longitudinal ribs 7 for the guided flow of the heating water in the heating chamber 6. At its top end the heating jacket 2 and the nozzle pipe I are welded with the nozzle supporting pipe 8 via a lid 10, an intermediate ring 9 being arranged between the nozzle tube 1 and the nozzle supporting pipe 8. At its bottom end the nozzle supporting tube 8 carries a control cylinder 11, which is welded via a conical bottom 12 to the nozzle tube 1. At the top end of the nozzle supporting tube 8 there is fixed a gland 13 with a supporting flange 14 for the entire filling nozzle. Near to the top end of the nozzle supporting tube 8 there is arranged a warm water inlet 15. The control pipe 23, which has a number of transverse drillings 33, is screwed at its bottom end to a drilled control piston 17 provided with a springloaded outlet valve 21. At its top end the control tube 23 is screwed into a cylindrical member 24, which has a connecting piece of tubing 25 with an eye 26 screwed thereinto for the connection of a control unit.

The seal firstly between the control cylinder 11 and the control piston 17 and secondly between the gland l3 and the cylindrical member 24 is in each case effected by means of a two-piece packing 18 or 34 with a central spacer ring 20 or 35. The paclcings 18 and 34 are pressed in position by gland nut 19 or by the clamping flange 27. Adjoining the double tube (3, 4) via the flange 32 there is a feed pipe comprising a pressure hose 29 which is held by a screw union 30. The screw union 30 is fixed in tube 3. The pressure hose 29 is encased in a flexible hose 31 which ends between flanges 32, so as to ensure the connection with tube 4. Placed between nozzle pipe I and heating jacket 2 is a U- shaped heating chamber 6, and between nozzle tube 1 and nozzle supporting tube 8 there is a phosphorus receiving annular chamber 16, and inside the nozzle supporting tube 8 there is a warm-water chamber 22.

The installation of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2. to 5 of the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 2 represents a plan view of the entire installation FIG. 3 represents a front elevational view of the installation, FIG. 4 represents a complete side elevational view of the installation, and FIG. 5 represents an enlarged section of the righthand half of FIG. 4. Placed on a rotating frame 36 movable in a semi-circle, is a trolley 38 which can be moved horizontally and which can be displaced by a lifting cylinder 37. Secured to trolley 38 is a trolley 39 which can be moved vertically and which can be displaced by a lifting cylinder '40. The vertically movable trolley 39 has a filling nozzle 41 together with its supporting flange 14 fastened thereto. A lifting cylinder 56 is provided for actuating control piston 17 of filling nozzle 41, the control piston 17 being brought into the closed position after removal of the load from the lifting cylinder 56 by springs 53 which press on a pressure plate 54 connected with a coupling rod 55. Supporting flange 28 of filling nozzle 41 is provided with a drum cover 44 which is connected to a supporting cross 47 via guide pins 46 provided with spiral springs 45. On the supporting cross 47 there are probes (not shown in the drawing) for determining the level of phosphorus and water in drum 51. The filling nozzle 41 is fitted with a flexible double pipe 29, 31, supplying yellow phosphorus and hot water. Warm water is fed in through warm-water inlet 15 and pipe 48. The water issuing through water outlet 5 runs via a control valve 49 and an inspection glass 50 into drum Sl which is to be filled with phosphorus.

Water feed pipes 52 are provided for the introduction of warm water into empty drums 51. On the front of rotary frame 36 there is arranged a switch and control desk 42 which is screened against the filling nozzle 41 by a transparent protective wall 43. The installation of the invention is operated as follows:

Empty drums 51 are placed in a double row in a semicircle underneath rotating frame 36. After warm water has been poured into an empty drum 51 through water feed pipe 52, rotary frame 36 is moved in such a way that the filling nozzle 41 is located above this drum. Following this, the filling nozzle 41 is lowered by actuating lifting cylinder 40. To this end, filling nozzle 41 is first brought into the correct position by displacing horizontal trolley 38 by means of lifting cylinder 39. After the supporting cross 47 with the probes for the phosphorus and water level has been placed on the rim of the drum and has been lowered further, guide pins 46 operate limit switches arranged on drum cover 44, after which filling nozzle 41 remains in this position. If the water probe shows that filling nozzle 41 is not in water, it is necessary to pour warm water into drum 51 through pipe 48, warm water inlet and outlet valve 21 of filling nozzle 41, before lifting cylinder 56 is actuated to raise control piston 17, so as to enable the delivery of liquid yellow phosphorus under water. Control piston 17 is lowered as soon as the phosphorus level in drum 51 is found to have reached the phosphorus probe. Following this, lifting of filling nozzle 41 by lifting cylinder 40 is released. As soon as trolley 39 has reached its upper limit switch, lifting cylinder 37 is actuated and/or rotating frame 36 is moved, and it is possible for the next drum 51 to be filled.

The filling nozzle of the present invention comprises more particularly a control pipe 23 provided with a plurality of perforations 33, and connected at its top end to a cylindrical member 24 which, via a connecting piece of tubing 25, carries an eye 26 for connecting up a control unit; a nozzle supporting pipe 8, which concentrically surrounds the control pipe 23 and is provided in its upper part with a warm-water inlet 15, the nozzle supporting pipe 8 carrying at its bottom end a control cylinder 11 with a control piston 17 having a hole drilled through it which is fixed via a conical bottom 12 to a nozzle pipe 1, and at its lower end has a gland 13 with a supporting flange 14; the nozzle pipe 1 concentrically surrounding the nozzle supporting tube 8 so as to form an annular chamber receiving yellow phosphorus; a heating jacket 2 which is arranged around nozzle tube 1 so as to form a heating chamber *6, the heating jacket 2 having passed through it in its upper end portion firstly a double tube (3, 4) delivering warm water to heating chamber 6 and yellow phosphorus to annular chamber 16, and secondly a water outlet 5; a supporting flange 28 secured to heating jacket 2, and a spring-loaded water outlet valve 21 which is arranged at the bottom end of the control piston 17. Further preferred embodiments of the filling nozzle according to the invention, which can be used singly or in combination, provide: 5 a. for two longitudinal ribs 7 to be secured diametrically opposite one another to the outside of nozzle pipe b. for an intermediate ring 9 to be arranged near the top end of nozzle pipe 1 between pipe 1 and nozzle supporting pipe 8;

c. for a two-part packing l8 interrupted by a spacer ring 20, which is held by a gland nut 19 fixed on control cylinder 11, to be arranged in control cylinder 11;

d. for a two-part packing 34 interrupted by a spacer ring 35, which is pressed in position by a clamping flange 27 connected to the supporting flange 14, to be arranged in gland. 13. The installation according to the invention comprises more particularly a rotating frame 36 movable in a semi-circle; a trolley 38 secured thereto and capable of being moved horizontally by meansof lifting cylinder 37; a further trolley 39 which is fast with trolley 38 and can be moved vertically by means of lifting cylinder 40, filling nozzle 41 being arranged on trolley 39; a lifting cylinder 56 which is connected to control cylinder 17 of filling nozzle 41; and a switch and control desk 42 provided on the outside of rotating frame 36.

Further preferred features of the installation of the present invention, which can be used singly or in combination, provide:

e. for springs 53, a pressure plate 54 and a coupling rod 55 which hold control piston 17 of filling nozzle 41 in the closed position to be arranged between lifting cylinder 56 and filling nozzle 41;

f. for a transparent semicircular protective wall 43 to be arranged between filling nozzle 41 and switch and control desk 42;

g. for a drum 44, having a supporting cross 47 secured thereto by means of guide pins 46 and springs 45, to be mounted on supporting flange 28 of filling nozzle 41;

h. for the supporting cross 47 to be fitted with probes for measuring the phosphorus and water level; i. for the switching and control desk 42 to receive impulses from the probes on supporting cross 47 and from lifting cylinders 40 and to transmit adjustment instructions to lifting cylinder 56, the lifting cylinder 56 only opening the control piston 17 of the filling nozzle 41 when the filling nozzle 41 is dipping into water.

The annular chamber 16 of the filling nozzle of the present invention in which the phosphorus flows is surrounded on both sides with warm-water-heated chambers in view of the melting point of phosphorus (45C) (heating chamber 6, warm-water chamber 22). This ensures undisturbed actuation of control piston 17. In warm-water chamber 22 the water is always under a certain pressure which avoids penetration of phosphorus thereinto. An important component of the control cylinder 11 is the two-part gland l8 interrupted by a spacer ring 20. In the zone of the spacer ring 20 it is possible for the phosphorus to leave filling nozzle 41 through annular chamber 16. The installation of the present invention can be substantially automated by using the filling nozzle, which enables the flow of phosphorus to be arrested and restarted without manual interference, by means of an ordinary synchronised switching system.

In this case the following cycle is used: 1. Filling the drums 51 which are placed in front of and behind filtering nozzle 41, with water. Ending the filling by a time relay, because a definite degree of filling of the drums with water is not required. 2. Turning the rotating frame 36 round by the interval between drums; 3. Lowering the filling nozzle 41 by actuating lifting cylinders 40, fixing the end point of the filling nozzle 41 by means of limit switches which are arranged on drum cover 44 and are actuated by guide pins 46 with the cooperation of supporting cross 47; 4. Checking the water level in the drum by means of a probe secured to the supporting cross 47. If the water level is too low, it is made up via pipe 48, warm water inlet 15 and outlet valve 21; 5. Lifting control piston 17 by actuating lifting cylinder 56, after which the phosphorus begins to flow into drum 51 under water; 6. Lowering control piston 17 when the phosphorus level probe arranged on supporting cross 47 responds;

7. Lifting filling nozzle 41 by actuating lifting cylinders 40 until the trolley 39 runs up against the top limit switch.

We claim:

1. An installation for filling drums with liquid yellow phosphorus, the installation comprising a rotating frame movable along a semi-circle; a first trolley being movable in a horizontal direction, being parallel with, and being disposed near the peripheral end of the rotating frame; a first lifting cylinder mounted upon the first trolley, the first lifting cylinder comprising a piston rod, which is secured to the rotating frame in a manner permitting the first trolley to be moved in horizontal direction; a second trolley being movable by means of a plurality of second lifting cylinders on a bracket disposed perpendicularly to the first trolley, the second lifting cylinders being secured to the second trolley and having piston rods which are secured to the first trolley; a filling nozzle comprising a plurality of coaxial tubes, a double-walled tubular inlet delivering yellow phosphorus and warm water, respectively, a water inlet and a water outlet, 21 first supporting flange which is secured to the outer of the coaxial tubes and a second supporting flanges which is secured to the head of one of the inner of said coaxial tubes, and connecting the filling nozzle to the second trolley; a drum cover secured to a supporting cross which is secured to the first supporting flanges of the filling nozzle; and a switch and control console secured to the outside of the rotating frame.

2. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second trolley is fitted with a third lifting cylinder connected to the filling nozzle.

3. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pressure plate and a coupling rod. are arranged between the third lifting cylinder and the filling nozzle.

4. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting cross is secured to the drum cover by guide pins, which are surrounded by springs in the area between the supporting cross and the drum cover.

5. The installation as claimed in claim ll, wherein a transparent semicircular protective wall is arranged between the filling nozzle and the switch and control console. 

1. An installation for filling drums with liquid yellow phosphorus, the installation comprising a rotating frame movable along a semi-circle; a first trolley being movable in a horizontal direction, being parallel with, and being disposed near the peripheral end of the rotating frame; a first lifting cylinder mounted upon the first trolley, the first lifting cylinder comprising a piston rod, which is secured to the rotating frame in a manner permitting the first trolley to be moved in horizontal direction; a second trolley being movable by means of a plurality of second lifting cylinders on a bracket disposed perpendicularly to the first trolley, the second lifting cylinders being secured to the second trolley and having piston rods which are secured to the first trolley; a filling nozzle comprising a plurality of coaxial tubes, a double-walled tubular inlet delivering yellow phosphorus and warm water, respectively, a water inlet and a water outlet, a first supporting flange which is secured to the outer of the coaxial tubes and a second supporting flanges which is secured to the head of one of the inner of said coaxial tubes, and connecting the filling nozzle to the second trolley; a drum cover secured to a supporting cross which is secured to the first supporting flanges of the filling nozzle; and a switch and control console secured to the outside of the rotating frame.
 2. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second trolley is fitted with a third lifting cylinder connected to the filling nozzle.
 3. The installation as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pressure plate and a coupling rod are arranged between the third lifting cylinder and the filling nozzle.
 4. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supporting cross is secured to the drum cover by guide pins, which are surrounded by springs in the area between the supporting cross and the drum cover.
 5. The installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein a transparent semicircular protective wall is arranged between the filling nozzle and the switch and control console. 